Building The Sustainable University

New York Times:

AN old stone and shingle windmill, atop a bluff near the breezy far end of Long Island, is the symbolic heart of the State University of New York's newest campus. Built around 1713, the mill once harnessed wind to generate power. Later, it was a guest house where Tennessee Williams spent a summer in the 1950s. Now it is undergoing reconstruction, its rotting beams replaced and huge blades rebuilt, as the campus takes shape around it. Aptly, Stony Brook Southampton is dedicated mind and body to the pursuit of sustainability.

In recent years, just about every campus has made some commitment to learn anew how to co-exist with the natural world, to use less energy and to reduce the carbon emissions it contributes to global warming. But Stony Brook Southampton is building not only an environmentally friendly campus but also a curriculum in which nearly every course deals with sustainability. It is a public-education experiment being watched across the country.

"Stony Brook Southampton will certainly be among a limited number of campuses with this level of commitment to sustainability," says Judy Walton, acting executive director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. "Sustainability is really a change in the mind-set of how we operate. It's like seeing the world through a new lens."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[markie1111]

the media needs to be very, very careful with the word "sustainable". as things stand at the moment with a population of the earth at 2-3 times it's carrying capacity, "sustainable" is just a buzz word. esstentially it's a lie.

[darker]

I agree with the ABOVE COMMENT. It is on target.
All is public relations HOOEY unless the above BASICS are supported and ENACTED by
Stony Brook-Southampton College.

SB-Southampton will remain A PUBLICITY STUNT by President Kenny of Stony Brook University unless
it accomplishes these basics and SHOWS CAREER OPPORTUNITIES its students are prepared for.
Right now, it's ALL SMOKE AND NO FIRE.

[LarBear]

darker....
Apparently you live to your s/n...

No Credit given for the attempt??? You seem to be on a pedestal lQQking down on the ATTEMPT at sustainabi­lity... Since you seemingly are perfected at sustainability, have you offered to Mentor them?
Seems to me they are attempting an ongoing process, of learning of sustainabi­lity... Seems perfect to me... The Goal is the ongoing learning in the process... Apparently you seem to think you are already there and sitting in Judgement.­..
As I have said to friends who say their God is Perfect... Sorry to hear the process has ended for your God, and that God is dead to learning and processing­... Seems to me that is Stagnation, not Life and Living...

[MagisterLudi]

The beginning of a self-sustainable university should begin with building adequate and affrodable housing for students and faculty closer to campus. Perhpas u> can stop the practice of hiring cheap part-time instructor labor.
The ratio of tenured-to-part time professorships should be at least 80%
Everything else is a PR w_ank.